Conveyer



Sept. 26, 1950 R. K. HUBBELL- CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1946 I nvenifar: erKHu/bbefl,

R. K. HUBBELL Sept. 26, 1950 CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheeii 2 Filed July 20, 19 46 errnzzuzb z, fig am? 7W? m r A I name Wife 2: R0

R. K. HUBB ELL Sept. 26, 1950 CONVEYER 4 Sheet-Sheet 3 Filed July 20, 1945 R. K. HUBBELL CONVEYER Sept; 26, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fiied July 30, 1946.

Patented Sept. 26, 1950 CONVEYER Roger K. Hubbell, Newton, Mass, assignor, byv mesne assignments, to Conveyor Specialty Company, Inc., Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 20, 1946, Serial No. 685,265

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to power-driven conveyors of the type employing an endless belt or chain. The invention is more particularly concerned with an improved conveyor or conveyor system which can be altered from time to time to suit changes in the conditions of use. One such variation is an increase or decrease in the length of the conveyor. Another variation is the addition or subtraction of shelves on one or both sides of the belt or chain. These variations may be made at the place where the conveyor is in use by proper substitutions and rearrangements of component parts kept in stock by the user or obtained from the maker from time to time as needed. To these ends, there is provided a basic unit which can be used alone or combined with one or more like units to increase the length of the conveyor. End-roll assemblies are provided for attachment to the ends of a single basic unit or to any desired multiple of the basic unit. In other words, a single pair of end-roll assemblies will serve for one or more basic units united end-to-end, and then equipped with a belt or chain to run on the end rolls. Similarly, side shelves maintained in stock by the user or obtained from time to time from the maker may be added to the basic unit on one or both sides, or removed when no longer needed.

The invention will be understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of certain specific embodiments thereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a two-unit conveyor embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a single-unit conveyor;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation as viewed from the right-hand end of either Fig. l or Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a transverse bar for use with a basic unit having a single shelf attached thereto; a

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a short transverse bar for use with a basic unit having no shelf attached thereto;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section of the basic unit alone;

Fig. 9 is a vertical, longitudinalsection on line Ba-9 of 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view on line I0l0 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating one of the roll-adjustingdevices shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan of one of the end-roll assem-- blies;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view on line l3-l 3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the end-roll assembly.

Referring to the drawings, and having reference at first more particularly to Figs. 8 and 9, there is shown a basic unit 50 comprising a main frame 52 which in this example is in the nature of a specially formed channel bar or beam having a web 54 and two downwardly-directed flanges 56 provided with inwardly-directed lips 58. This main frame is appropriately supported as by legs, herein channel bars 60 snugly fitting between and suitably secured as by welding to flanges 62 of a transverse channel-bar 64 whose web 66 is secured as by bolts 68 to the lip 58 of the mainframe 52. The web 54 of the main frame 52 is provided with a lengthwise depression iii to receive a belt or chain hereinafter described, the depth of the depression being such that the upper surface of the belt or chain is in the same plane as the upper surfaces of those portions of the web 54 which lie at the sides of the belt or chain. Thus, articles resting upon the lateral margins of the web can be moved smoothly and without hindrance upon the belt or chain.

There are circumstances under which it is desirable to provide shelves along one or both sides: of the main frame, upon which articles may be supported while being loaded upon or unloaded from the belt or chain. To this end, there is provided a shelf unit 12 (see Fig. 5) readily attachable to and detachable from either side of the main frame 52 of the basic unit 50. In the present example, the shelf unit 12 is in the nature of a specially formed bar having a web 14 having two downwardly-directed flanges l6 and 18, the latter having an inwardly-directed lip horizontally aligned with the corresponding lips 58 of the main frame 52. The shelf unit or units are conveniently secured to the side or sides of the basic unit as by bolts 82 passing through flange 56 of the main frame 52 and flange 16 of the shelf 72. v

The basic unit 50, with or Without a shelf unit or units 12 may be used alone if of sufficient length for the particular circumstances,

or it may be combined with one or more to a similar angle bar on the next unit. If there are shelf units on both sides as in Fig. 5, the attaching bar is of sufficient length for that purpose. If, however, a single shelf unit is to be used, a shorter angle bar 84A is provided, and if no shelf unit is to be used a still shorter angle bar 843 is provided. When two or more basic units, with or without shelf units are assembled end to end (see Figs. 1 and 2) bolts 92 passed through the attaching bars secure them. together.

Where two or more basic unitsare to be combined, as in Figs. 1 and 2, for example, there is provided a belt (or chain) 94. of sufiicient length, whereasif but ,one basic unit is to be employed a like but shorter belt is employed. Regardless of the number of basic units, there are employed but two end-roll assemblies, now to be described, whichare readily attachable to and detachable from the basic units. So also, regardless, of the number of basic units, there is employed but one power unit presently to de described, which, likewise, is readily attachable to and detachable from the basic 'unit.

In this embodiment, the two end-roll assemblies are alike, and one of then rwill now be described, reference being had at first to Figs. 12, 13 and 14. Two parallel, lengthwise members such as channel bars 9,6 (see Fig. 12) are definitely spaced and rigidly connected as by a cross member such as anangle bar 98 suitably secured as by welding its ends to the channel bars. The channel bars are further connected to each other by a shaft Illil (see Fig. 13) fixedly held in place as by screws I92 passing through horizontally elongated openings or slots I24 in webs I06 of the channel-bars. (see Fig. 12) thereby to permit a slight angular adjustment of the shaft to ensure trueerunnin of the belt. The screws I02 pass also through blocks I88 (see Fig. 14)

adjusted lengthwise of the slots I04 by set-screws III) threaded through. studs H2 having threaded shanks II 4 passing through the webs IQS and secured by "nuts IIE.

Turning on and about the shaft IIJOis a roller IIB, suitably crowned, and having at its. ends disks I2Ilsecured to hubs I22 which turn on the,

shaft and are held against axial,- displacement by collars I24 secured to the shaftas by set-screws I26. The Webs I06 are provided with bolt holes.

I28 (see Fig. 14) to receive bolts, as hereinafter described, toholdthe end-roll assembly in its place in the basic unit. The cross-sectional dimensions and the spacing of the channel bars.

96 are such that the bars slide snugly into, the basic unit (see Fig. where they are held by bolts I30 passing through the bolt holes I28. They are further held by two of the hereinbefore described bolts 85 (see Fig. 5) which. secure the transverse bar 84 to the basic unit 59.

In the embodiment now under discussion, the rolls of the end-roll assemblies are simply idlers and the belt 94 is driven by a power-unit I32 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which is attachable to and detachable from the basic unit 50. Only one such power-unit is provided for the conveyor whether there be one or more of the basic units. Power unit I32 (see Figs. 2 and 3) includes driven rolls I34, an adjustable take-up roll I36 and a fourth roll I38 which is also adjustable. Power may be furnished, for example, by an electric motor, mounted on the frame below the rollers, through a suitable reduction gear set carrying a sprocket wheel on its output shaft having a chain connection with sprocket wheels associated with the rolls I34. The frame of the power unit may be bolted to the rib 58 of the main frame member 52. By removing the bolts the power unit may be dismounted and transferred to another basic unit as circumstances -.1 nay require in adding to or subtracting from the conveyor from time to time to accommodate changing condtions.

To expand the conveyor from one having a single basic unit as in Fig. 3 to one having two basic units as in Figs. 1 and 2, it is only necessary, first, to remove the left-hand end-roll assembly and the belt from the structure as organized in Fig. 3, second, add a second basic unit at the left of the first unit as in Figs. 1 and 2, third, bolt. the two. basic units together, fourth, mount the left-hand end-roll assembly in the lefthand end of the added basic unit, and fifth, reeve a longer belt into place as it appears in Figs. 1 and 2. Subsequent further lengthening of the conveyor can be accomplished in a similar manner. In any case, it is important to note that only two end-roll assemblies and only one power unit are required, regardless of expansion of the conveyor. The user can therefore maintain, in stock, extra basic units and extra shelf units (or order them from the maker) and reorganize the assembly from time to time as the needs of the business require.

If desired, instead of driving the belt in the manner indicated by Figs. 2 and 3, power may be supplied to one of the end rolls. In such case, the power unit may, with advantage, be part of the assembly and the opposite end-roll used as a take-up roll.

Powering of the belt by means of one of the end-rolls has some advantages for some classes of work. Thus when the belt is used for conveying sticky material, and the belt is powered through the bottom lead, the top surface of the belt, coming into contact with the rolls of the power unit, may transfer material to the rolls and makes frequent cleaning necessary. l-Iowever, the illustrated method has certain advantages for non-sticky materials. One of these advantages is that it has identical head and tailroll assemblies.

A fabric or other similar belt may be and commonly is employed, though a link belt or a chain-type belt may be employed to advantage in some installations. In some cases, the top surface of the belt or chain is substantially flush with the longitudinal margins-of the main frame, while in other cases the top surface of the belt is somewhat above the margins of the main frame. The lateral shelf units may be applied to either or both sides of the main frame of either embodiment of the invention at whatfrom, or to be arranged and rearranged to suit the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said portion serving as a runway for a conveyor belt on use of the unit, of a work shelf having a horizontal web portion and opposed flanges depending from the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said shelf being detachably secured through one of its flanges to one of the flanges of said frame member, and tie means at one end of said frame member adapting the frame member for end-to-end connection with a similar frame member provided with complementary tie means.

2. In a conveyor unit, the combination with an elongated frame member having a horizontal web portion and opposed flanges depending from the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said portion serving as a runway for a conveyor belt on use of the unit, of a work shelf having a horizontal web portion and opposed flanges depending from the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said shelf being detachably secured through one of its flanges to one of the flanges of said frame member, and an attaching :bar connecting the flanges of said frame member at one end thereof, said bar adapting the frame member for end-to-end connection'with a similar frame member so equipped.

3. In a conveyor unit, the combination with an elongated frame member having a horizontal web portion and opposed flanges depending from the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said portion serving as a runway for a conveyor belt on use of the unit, of a work shelf coextensive with said frame member having a horizontal web portion and opposed flanges depending from the longitudinal margins of the web portion, said shelf being detachably secured through one of its. flanges to one of the flanges of said frame member, and an attaching bar connecting the other flange of said shelf and the flanges of said 2 frame member at one end of the unit, said bar adapting the unit for end-to-end connection with a similarunit so equipped.

ROGER K. I-IUBBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,023,103 Bausman et a1 Apr. 9, 1912 1,963,948 Adams June 26, 1934 2,430,282 Ensinger Nov. 4, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Bulletin No. 0-373 of Goodman Mfg. (30., Chicago, Illinois, 1939. 

